Means for removing static electricity from materials.



e. u. ROGERSI I MEANS FOR REMOVING STAT|C ELECTRICITY FROM MATERIALS.APPLICATION FILED JAN. I4, I915.

1,169,428, Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

3444 44 Ioz may I a 4M m GEORGE nhoenns, 01 LAKEWOOD, OHIO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

MEANS FOR REMOVING STATIC ELECTRICITY FROM MATERIALS.

Patented. Jan. 25, 1916.

Application filed January 14, 1915. Serial No. 2,098,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE D: ROGERS, a

i citizen of the United States, residing at gerousto workmen.

Lakewood, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Means for Bemoving StaticElectricity from Materials, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for neutralizing and removing the staticelectricity usually found between layers of various materials andparticularly sheets of paper, which develops during the process ofmanufacture while the same are passing through the difierent machines,and also while the materials are being worked upon by pass ing throughother machines.

As is well known, the static electricity causes the layers of materialto cling together, thereby interfering with the proper operating of themachinery and the rapid handling of the material. I

The principal object of the invention is to provide means for entirelyremoving the static electricity between sheets of paper passing througha printing press. This is accomplished by introducinga neutralizingelectric current and also by shooting a blast of hot air against thesurface of the paper as it travels through the press.

Another object of-the invention is to provide a device, which is adaptedto be connected to an ordinary electric light service socket and willproduce a neutralizing current Of great strength without being dan- Afurther object of'the invention is to adjustably mount the electricaldistributing points upon the air tube so that the samev may beconveniently positioned to suit different widths of paper.

With the above and other objects in view as will be readily understood,the invention will be hereinafter fully described with reference to theaccompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred form of the same,and the novel features of the invention will be distinctly pointed outin the appended claims.v y

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate correspondingparts.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus constructed in accordancewith my'invention, Fig. 2. is a diagrammatical view illustrating one endof the air tube and the circuit of the high tension discharge apparatusconnected thereto, Fig. 3 is a sectional View ofthe air forcing fan andheating coil employed at the other'end of said tube, Fig. 4 1s anenlarged cross section of the air tube taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1, Fig.5 is a side elevat on of a modification of the air tube, and Flg. 6 isan enlarged cross section of the same taken on line 66 of Fig. 5.

, Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a tube preferably constructedof copper to' provide a good electrical conductor. This tube is adaptedto have hot air forced therethrough; and one of its lower quarters isprovided w th a longitudinal slot, or preferably a plurality of aliningslots, indicated by 2, for the escape of the air. The portions of metalbetween the slots 2 are left in order thatthe tube will not be weakenedas much the spring clips rotating uponthe tube and hold the electricaldistributing points perpendicular, the clips are provided with nibs 5for engaging the slots 2. As will be understood, said tube is supportedupon" a printing press in any suitable manner with the electricaldistributing points 3 arranged adjacent the surface of the moving paper,andthe slots 2 so positioned as to shoot hot air upon the paper in thesame direction as its travel.

Electric current may be applied to the tube 1 by any suitable means, butthe high tension discharge apparatus covered by my former patent1,092,398 is the most desirable, as it produces current of highfrequency and intensity from an initial current of comparative lowvoltage, and thereis nodanger from shocks to workmen employed about themachinery. As shown in Fig. 1, the high frequency coils of-the hightension discharge apparatus are inclosed in a cylindrical box 6 arrangedat one end of the tube 1, and leading therefrom are covered wiresindicated by 7, which are connected to the vibrator and condenserinclosed in a'box 8. Covered wires, as 9, extending from the latter box,terminate in a plug 10, which is adapted to'be connected to an ordinaryelectric light socket. It has been found in practice, thatthe dischargecurrent from the distributing points 8, is of greater intensity when thehigh tension discharge apparatus is connected to the tube as described,than when the high frequency coils in the box 6 are placed adjacent thevibrator and condenser in the box 8, and a long wire eirtends therefromto the tube. The circuit of the high tension discharge apparatus willnow be explained. The free end of the secondary winding 11 is connectedto the tube 1, and its other end to the primary winding-l2. One free endof the secondary winding, as 13, leads to a condenser 14, and its otherend 15 passesaround a core 16, then leads to the plug 17 An armature 18carried by a spring 19 is adapted to be attracted by the core 16, andextending from the spring to said plug is a wire 20. An ordinaryadjustable contact 21 is connected to the wire 15 by a wire 22, and thecondenser to the wire 20 by a wire 23. As will bev understood, the rapidautomatic operation of the armature 18 will make and break the circuitdescribed, the condenser will thereby become charged and then dischargewith great frequency, thus inducing currents of high frequency tension'into the primary winding 12 and the secondary winding 11. These highfrequency tension currents are thus induced in the tube 1, and areconducted by the distributing points 3 to the surface of themovingpaper.

Atmospheric conditions have much to do with the difliculty ofneutralizing and removing static electricity from sheets of paper andother materials, more troublebeing experienced in damp or cold weatherthan in dry and Warm weather. To overcome the troublesome effect ofatmospheric conditions, hot air is forced through the tube 1, andescaping through the slots 2, is directed against the surface of themoving paper. A fan blower '24, driven by any suitable power, isconnected to the end of the tube 1, for forcing air therethrough, and anelectrical heating coil 25 is arranged in the nozzle of the blower forheating the air before it enters the tube. The free ends 26 of theheating coil may be connected to any suitable source of electricalenergy. It is important to insulate the fan blower from said tube, and

this may be done by a sleeve 27 of insulating material.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6,

the tube 28 is constructed of asbestos, and is provided with alongitudinal recess for receiving a strip of metal 29. Spring clips 30,carrying electrical distributing points 31, are adapted to fit over saidtube and en age the metal strip 29, and the free end 0 the secondarywinding of the high frequencycoils, indicated by 32, is connected tosaid metal strip.

' It will be understood, that the electric current or the hot airblastmay be employed separately, or both means used at the same time, forneutralizing and removing static electricity from sheets of materialpassing through machinery. Also that slight changes in the details ofconstruction and arrangement of the parts may be made within the scopeof the claims.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim 1s:

1. A method of neutralizing and removing static electricity frommaterials in motion, consisting of arranging electrical distributorsadjacent the surfaces of the materials, and directing a blast of hot airagainst the surfaces of the materials, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus for neutralizing and removing static electricity frommaterials in motion, the combination of a tube, means for electrifyingthe tube, distributing points carried by the tube and adapted to bearranged adjacent the surfaces of the materials, means for forcing hotair through the tube, and the tube being provided with openings fordirecting the hot air against the surfaces of the materials,substantially as described. I

3. In an apparatus for neutralizing and removing static electricity frommaterials in motion, the combination of a tube, means for electrifyingthe tube, distributing points carried by the tube and adapted to bearranged adjacent the surfaces of the materials, a blower fixed to theend of the tube, an electrical heating coil for heating the air beingforced into the tube by the blower, and the tube being provided with aplurality of longitudinal slots for directing the hot air againstthesurfaces of the materials, substantially as described.

4. Inan apparatus for neutralizing and removing static electricity frommaterials in motion, the combination of a tube, means for electrifyingthe tube, distributing points carried by the tube and adapted to bearranged adjacent the surfaces of the materials, and means forpermitting longitudinal adjustment of the distributing points butpreventing rotation thereof, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus for neutralizing and removing static electricity frommaterials in motion, the combination of a tube, means for electrifyingthe tube, means for forcing air through the tube, .the tube beingprovided with longitudinal slots for directing the air against thesurfaces of the materials, spring clips for engaging the tube,distributing points carried by the spring clips and adapted to bearranged adjacent the surfaces of the materials, and nibs projectingfrom the spring clips for entering said longitudinal slots in the tubeto permit longitudinal adjustment thereof but prevent rotation of thecondenser connected to the free ends of the primary winding, and meansfor inducing electric current in the Vibrator and condenser circuit,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE D. ROGERS.

Witnesses:

W. H. KELsEY, A. SIDLAY.

